[sharkashwa]

The Indian Captain's press conference was riddled with such non-sensical statements and no feeling of self responsibility. Is the team even being managed or is it a bunch of headless chickens running about on the field. It was looking more of the latter when the Australian lower order were batting.
There is no fire left in the captain. The last I watched was the entire Australian team getting up and close with the Indian batsmen be it Jaiswal or Sundar to force an error from them. Compare that with our attitude when Lyon and Cummins were batting. Pathetic!

[AtheK]

Ashwin can finally have some fun without any fear of repursscion from non performing superstars.



MI showed sharma sahib the door as captain, I am surprised they retained him this year for such high cost, probably because of appeasing Fanclub for one more season. I won't be surprised if they drop him after end of next season and free up the purse.

RCB also has an option to get 21 cr back in kitty for next year mini auction, but they are also shamlessly behind money and fan appeasement then trophies.

[NomadSK]

It seemed like after that whole fiasco of 2003 WC, Indian players made an effort to get mentally more resilient, 03-04 in Aus was good, 07-08 too. Then the Dhoni era, where he did a lot of things right regarding the Indian team's mentality, chopping out the dead wood and bringing calmness - maybe some things wrong too. Kohli then defined an era of greater Indian toughness, physicality, belief, grit, determination, fighting and never to give up. Also the Shastri & Kohli combo was pretty good going for Indian cricket, until some politics messed it up.

It seems recently, since Sharmaji took over and with other guys fading with age, India is going back to the bad old days of 90’s and early 2000’s. Lazy, regal, lethargic and with selfish mentality of playing for records, we are on a downward spiral.

On the balance of play, this series has really not been close overall. Even this game which was great to watch only became strangely close after a freak Bumrah spell. Sometimes, the series scoreline doesn't really convey the wide gap between the sides. They had only Marsh who was inconsistent till now in 4 tests, we had almost 60% of the team.

Australian blokes were celebrating beating the guys who celebrated avoiding the follow-on, speaks the level difference.

Anyway hope Jurel/Sarfaraz/Prasid gets to play Sydney test somehow !!

[ike]

Originally Posted by Aakash118

we need two spin all rounders to bat at 7 & 8

Picking bowlers based on their ability with the bat is not the answer to batting woes. If the top order doesn't perform the so called bowling all rounders are not going to be able to sustain the team for long. Batsmen are supposed to primarily bat well and bowlers are expected to take wickets. As long as that is not happening there will never be a sense of balance in a team.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Sydney test hope we see the big names dropped. WTC is anyways a goner, atleast lets try retaining the BGT with a 2-2 draw.

WTC is not a goner yet. If we win in Sydney, and then Australia lose to Sri Lanka (on Lankan soil) by atleast a 0-1 margin (two test matches) then we play the WTC final vs South Africa.

But unfortunately winning in Sydney with Rohit in the team is going to be wishful thinking.

[shafquatmajeed]

I am baffled as to how ROHIT is in the team, leave about being the captain. As soon as he joined the team, the total balance of the team was destroyed. India could have easily saved the test, had it not been for Pant loosing his calm. But then who cares, he already has 25 Cr+ in his bank. That for me was the turning point of the match.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by NPV

Rohit gives the impression he’s very thick skinned and has no shame left - he just finds reasons and excuses to shift the blame. I don’t see him quitting on his own, unless BCCI asks him to or they drop and replace him.

Link

I hope this is true, will definitely help the team by opening up one batting spot and also get a captain who can think, would be good to get Bumrah as captain since he can think like a bowler (ie. How to get wickets by outsmarting batsmen). It will be good to have Rohit out before the Sydney Test.

[PPS]

Thankfully for Team India there are some showers forecast for Sydney on the last 2 days of the Test. So they should be happy to go down 1-2 than 1-3 ! Unless offcourse they plan to fold up inside 3 days. India in this Melbourne Test were way behind at all times, but going into Day 5 with thoughts of even entertaining a draw shows the resilience of some of our youngsters but our Captain during the press conference has the audacity to say that 'youngsters will learn from their mistakes'! India basically lost 10 wickets in 2 sessions on a decent surface which wasn't exactly going up & down.

Originally Posted by Aakash118

For me Jadeja has been among India’s top three batsmen in last 3-4 years and has scored runs everywhere including Australia & England. Even in the recent NZ series he was the highest wicket taker.

India lost the NZ series at home partly due to the average performance of Jadeja along with Ashwin. But I agree that in SENA, Jadeja should be an automatic pick in the XI, surprisingly he was left out in the first 2 Tests here.

Originally Posted by Aakash118

Talking of VK, he is still a good player but team management needs to talk to him about the off side issue and his willingness to work on it.

I really think Virat should spend 1-2 seasons in County Cricket since he's anyways based in London most of the time!

Coming to Pant, I think it will be better if he bats at 6 and takes the responsibility of batting with lower order.

I think everyone was expecting too much from Pant based on what happened last tour! Pant at no.6/7 in a counter attacking role with the tail can be considered.

Why did the selectors not pick a left arm pacer like Khaleel or Arshdeep for added variety? Or someone like Avesh who could extract the extra bounce?

Khaleel played those 'A' games & was inconsistent. Arshdeep I believe they're planning for the England series in June being a swing bowler. Siraj has been below average this entire tour which has greatly affected the bowling unit.

Originally Posted by harry10

It was a brain fade moment.
Uptill then he was happily defending everything and even calming down Jaiswal. Needless shot in the context of the game.

Originally Posted by Bhargav7

Aside, Pant's shot was indeed reckless. No denying that.

The ball was there to be hit, it was just a case of poor execution!

This is why he is so frustrating. Has all skills to be a great of the game but happy with his 40ish test average playing such shots. He can easily be a Sangakkara average batsman if only he understands tests are tests and not t20.

Pant is a disruptive player who plays a high risk game. I don't think we should even be thinking of him having 50+ average because he can never be consistent. Yes, he'll play those memorable innings sometimes like Gabba. We have to remember that he's a keeper first & its difficult to be walking in at 30-3 frequently.

Originally Posted by ike

The third umpire unfortunately was being more royal than the king here.

The Broadcaster conveniently got all the best possible angles for the 3rd umpire while the same were conveniently absent earlier in the series during that KL Rahul dismissal.

Originally Posted by AtheK

Let's see what their PR agencies come up with this time to save these two fossils.

More than Rohit Sharma's listless dismissals & Virat Kohli's frequent flirting outside the off-stump, its really their PR which irritates me the most! On Twitter there are posts like Rohit working hours in the nets & Kohli slogging it out etc, working on his off-stump leaves.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by Oxy

WTC is not a goner yet. If we win in Sydney, and then Australia lose to Sri Lanka (on Lankan soil) by atleast a 0-1 margin (two test matches) then we play the WTC final vs South Africa.

But unfortunately winning in Sydney with Rohit in the team is going to be wishful thinking.

We don't deserve to be in WTC, Period.

[sharkashwa]

Now that this test is done. What are the predictions for the starting 11 for the Sydney test? Even with the circumspect statements by our captain in the post match press conference, I still think he will play but maybe not as captain. Here is my opening 11:
KL Rahul
YB Jaiswal
S Gill
D Jurel
R Pant (Wk)
NK Reddy
R Jadeja
W Sundar
Akashdeep
J Bumrah (C)
M Siraj

[Eddy]

I think the same 11 will play. I am not saying it should, but it will happen.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by AtheK

We don't deserve to be in WTC, Period.

We don’t and we aren’t going to be. The performance over last 2-3 series against quality level opponents proves that. I said this yesterday morning and I stick with it. Irrespective of the Sydney test outcome, as Australia are wily enough to make sure to use the Sri Lanka series to their benefit.

[landcruiser123]

Seems like Rohit has lost his hunger to play tests. What a disappointing series. I don't think it is fair to point fingers at Pant in this innings when most of the top (barring Jaiswal) and middle order collapsed.

Unfortunate that Ashwin retired when he did. He might have had a chance at captaincy (leading thru transition like Kumble did in the last 2000s) once Rohit voluntarily retires/ is axed at the end of this series.

Kohli will definitely play the next test series, but his performances will be scrutinized.

Other than Jaiswal, Rahul showed some immense composure in the earlier part of the series. I wish to see more and hope he can have second peak in tests. Averaging 34 for his kind of ability is almost criminal.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I think the same 11 will play. I am not saying it should, but it will happen.

They can make changes.

They can easily drop Reddy who made a 100 or Sundar who made a 50. Or Akashdeep who bowled amazingly well but was unlucky with drop catches. They can even drop Bumrah which would be actually good and save everyone time so match can end within 2.5 days. I feel for Bumrah. 50 plus overs. Gave his everything and batters couldn't even bat a day to save the game. Even Jaiswal and Pant can be dropped.

But, they won't drop Rohit and Kohli. This I am 100% sure. Also, it's good we didn't make it to WTC final. Watching SA vs Australia will be more fun than getting humiliated for a 3rd straight final defeat by these senior paper tigers.

Also. KL is still the same. All that promise at start of series and he is still averaging 37. Just because Rohit and Kohli aren't performing spotlight isn't on him for a change. Clutch moment comes and KL fails. Needs to make atleast a 100 next game to show he is truly back.

[fordday]

Kohli simply cannot be dropped. He is too big now, even bigger than the game itself. So much money is riding on him that any drop, his PR machinery and big money backers will come out to make the 'necessary changes' in the bcci itself.